Lifestyle diseases remain among the top killers worldwide.

Instead of a surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) was greeted in the first week of 2021 with a larger number of ‘lifestyle diseases’ like strokes and heart ailments, NMMC officials said Friday, January 8.

“A gentle reminder to the public to practice self-restraint since January is known to have a large number of stroke, heart and diabetes cases due to the excessive eating and drinking. Unlike the past few years, walk-in patients have to undergo processing due to (minimum public health protocols),” NMMC liaison officer Dr. Julius Bernard Rocha said during Friday noon’s press briefing.

Dr. Gina Itchon, NMMC Research and Development Department chief, said as much in her weekly assessment by disclosing that NMMC recorded 106 COVID-19 case admissions last month. “This is lower than November 2020’s total of 124 case admissions. September and October had the largest number of case admissions at 151 and 182 respectively,” Dr. Itchon said.

As of January 1 to 6, NMMC recorded 24 COVID-19 case admissions, she said. ‘We may expect the surge of COVID-19 cases to start after January 6 but fingers crossed we hope we don’t see that happening,” Dr. Itchon said. Should that happen, Dr. Rocha said NMMC’s capacity to handle moderate to severe COVID-19 cases will be affected by the admission of non-COVID-19 cases such as ‘lifestyle diseases.”

“These lifestyle diseases are preventable or can be controlled provided there is early consultation which cannot be done as easily as before. But we have tele-consultation through which we can schedule our appointments with doctors at our most convenient time,” Dr. Rocha said.

(Source: City Information Office)